29 February 1528 A.D. Scotland’s 1st Protestant Martyr at the Hands of Scots-Roman policies

29 February 1528 A.D.  Scotland’s 1^st Protestant Martyr at the Hands of Scots-Roman policies. 

Mr. (Dr.) Rusten reports the following story, pp. 121-122.  Rusten, E. Michael and Rusten, Sharon. The One Year Christian History. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2003.  http://www.amazon.com/The-Year-Christian-History-Books/dp/0842355073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393302630&sr=8-1&keywords=rusten+church+history.  We have added other details to the story.

Patrick Hamilton was burned at the stake on 29 Feb 1528.

Mr. Hamilton was born of a noble family in Scotland and was a distant relative of a Stuart king, James V. He graduated from the University of Paris in 1520.  He began digesting the Lutheran documents.  He returned to Scotland in 1523.  He was unhappy with the Scots-Italian church.  He went to Leonard’s College, St. Andrews University, to study theology.

But, Scotland’s Parliament banned Luther’s book in 1525 (like Anglo-Italian bishops in Canterbury and London).  In 1526, Hamilton declared in favor of Luther. By 1527, he received 3 summons by Mr. (Abp.) Beaton to appear on heresy charges.

(Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas Cranmer is attempting to figure things out at Cambridge while others, like Hamilton up north, were declaring in favor of Luther.)

Hamilton runs abroad and lands in Wittenberg.  He met Luther, Melancthon, and the English hero, William Tyndale, himself a fugitive from Anglo-Italians in England. Hamilton wrote his Common Places, affirming justification by faith alone.

Hamilton returned to Scotland and began preaching. 

In Jan 1528, Mr. (Abp) Beaton and other Scots-Italianll bishops meet at St. Andrews University, summoning Hamilton again and preferring 13 charges of heresy against him.

He was tried and was burned the same day on 29 February 1528.  It would only spark further discussion of Reformation theology in Scotland.

A few questions:

·        If a Roman Catholic, what say you of this and the decrees of the Council of Trent that anathematized then—and as reaffirmed recently—against the doctrine of justification by faith alone?

·        Why has Mr. (Bp) Robert Duncan, ACNA, never appeared to articulate, assert and defend this doctrine?  In Article XI of the Thirty-nine Articles?  Would a discussion here relate to other Reformed doctrines?

·        What do Misters (Bps) Jack Iker, Keith Ackerman and others say of Articles IX-XI?  What really are “their” views here?

·        Do these matters get discussed in modern centers of advertisement?  TBN? Daystar Television? Word Television? Rick Warren? Or others? If so, does Paul’s Epistle to the Romans feature in their ministries?

·        Have worldwide Lutherans betrayed the Reformation understanding of justification by faith alone?  See:  http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2009/09/cyberbrethren-betraying-reformation-sad.html

·        Has Mr. (Bp.) N.T. Wright erred here?

·        What is one to say of the Federal Visionists and Mr. Norm Shepherd at Westminster Theological Seminary?

·        If you are a secularist, what do you say of justification by faith alone?

·        Does modern TV, internet and other forms of media serve to obscure this doctrine?

·        What’s the health and status of this doctrine?  Aside from the catechetical memory work as lads, do you hear this clearly enunciated?

Romans 11:6

1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)

^6 [a]And if it be of grace, it is ^[b]no more of works: or else were grace no more grace: but if it be of works, it is no more grace: or else were work no more work.

Footnotes:

a.      Romans 11:6 Although that all be not elect and chosen, yet let them that are elected, remember that they are freely chosen, and let them that stubbornly refuse the grace and free mercy of God, impute it unto themselves.

b.    Romans 11:6 This saying beateth down flat to the ground all the doctrine of all kinds and manner of works, whereby our justifiers of themselves do teach, that works are either wholly or partly the cause of our justification.

Dr. Rusten cites the following sources:

Douglas, J. D. “Hamilton, Patrick.” NIDCC. 449.

Hillyer, N. “Hamilton, Patrick.” WWCH. 301.

Torrence, I. R. “Hamilton, Patrick.” DSCHT. 390-1.